2024 WNBA Finals score: Breanna Stewart, Liberty even series with Lynx with double-digit win in Game 2

Stewart set a Finals record with seven steals in the huge win

The New York Liberty evened the 2024 WNBA Finals at 1-1 with an 80-66 victory over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 2 on Sunday afternoon. No team has ever come back from a 2-0 deficit since best-of-five series were introduced in 2005, so this was essentially a must-win for the No. 1 overall seed. 

For much of the day, it looked like we were in for a repeat of Game 1. The Liberty were dominant early on, as they went up by double digits in the first quarter, and pushed the advantage to 17 in the second. Slowly but surely, though, the Lynx began chipping away. 

With under four minutes to play, Courtney Williams got the Lynx within two, but that was as close as they would come. Betnijah Laney Hamilton, who had a playoff-career-high 20 points in her best outing of the postseason, responded with a 3-pointer from the corner to put the Liberty back up by five. A few minutes later, Leonie Fiebich pulled up from behind the arc on a three-on-one fastbreak to hit a dagger triple that would have made former Northern Iowa star Ali Farokhmanesh proud. 

Breanna Stewart once again struggled with her shot, but she was everywhere on the defensive end and set a Finals record with seven steals. She finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and seven steals, and joined Alyssa Thomas as the only players in Finals history to have at least 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals in a game. 

The series will now shift to Minneapolis for Game 3, which is set for 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday night. 

[Oct 13, 2024 at 5:11 pm ET · Jack Maloney]

FINAL: Liberty 80 -- Lynx 66

The Liberty evened up the 2024 WNBA Finals at 1-1 with a crucial victory in Game 2 on Sunday afternoon. No team has ever come back from a 2-0 deficit since best-of-five series were introduced in 2005, so this was essentially a must-win for the Liberty. 

The first 36 minutes looked remarkably similar to Game 1, as the Liberty built a big lead early and then watched the Lynx chip away until it was a two-point game. This time, though, the Liberty were able to take care of business down the stretch. 

Breanna Stewart finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and a Finals-record seven steals. She joined Alyssa Thomas as the only players ever with 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals in a Finals game. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton added a playoff-career-high 20 points in her best game of the postseason. 

[Oct 13, 2024 at 5:03 pm ET · Jack Maloney]

Fiebich hits the dagger

Leonie Fiebich has been terrific all postseason, and just hit the dagger in this one. After another Lynx turnover, the Liberty had a three-on-one fastbreak and Fiebich decided to pull from behind the arc. The Ali Farokhmanesh tribute caught nothing but net and the Liberty are now up by nine with 1:30 left. 

[Oct 13, 2024 at 4:58 pm ET · Jack Maloney]

Laney-Hamilton with another huge shot

Betnijah Laney-Hamilton has been the difference in this game. She just hit a massive 3-pointer from the corner to put the Liberty up by five after the Lynx had gotten the deficit down to two. Laney-Hamilton now has a playoff-career-high 20 points. She had 41 total points in the playoffs prior to this afternoon. 

[Oct 13, 2024 at 4:50 pm ET · Jack Maloney]

Lynx hanging around

The Liberty tried to pull away early in the fourth, but the Lynx weren't having that. They're right back in the game after a 7-0 run capped by a tough fadeaway jumper by Napheesa Collier. The big question here down the stretch is whether the Liberty can find enough offense. They had 31 points in the first quarter and just 38 since then.  

[Oct 13, 2024 at 4:43 pm ET · Jack Maloney]

Flagrant on Vandersloot

Courtney Vandersloot was just called for a Flagrant 1 foul on a reckless closeout. That will give Natisha Hiedeman three shots and the Lynx will have the ball. Potential for a five-or-six-point possession here for the Lynx. Could be a big swing here just after the Liberty pushed it back to double digits.